WWE Preview: 12 Things We Need to See in 2012

With 2012 around the corner, and of course the upcoming WWE Network, Vince McMahon must be considering how he can improve his WWE product to stimulate his own ratings and buy rates.

Well look no further, Vince (and I know you're reading)—here are 12 surefire ways I've singled out to improve the WWE, and I'll give you them for free.

I'm sure everyone's got their own ideas of how the company can change, so if your idea isn't mentioned in the following slideshow, then let's start a bit of debate in the comments section.

For now, here are my ideas...

Kharma, Sara Del Rey, Saraya-Jade Bevis and the Return of the Women's Title

I think we all know that the current state of the Diva's division is laughable.

We have two Diva's who can wrestle, and eleven that really cannot, and the WWE really needs to start employing wrestlers (not sports entertainers) instead of just Barbie dolls. Don't get me wrong, they're nice to look at, but most of them are actually painful to watch in the ring.

Gail Kim was a monumental loss from the division, as she was a fantastic wrestler, as was Melina if you disregard her real life personality, but both have been discarded while poor performers such as Kelly Kelly and The Bella Twins have remained.

When Kharma debuted, I for one was excited by the prospect of some actual wrestling taking place in the Diva's division, however her real life pregnancy soon put a stop to that. Hopefully she'll be willing to return in 2012, because a monster heel Diva would be a fresh gimmick, and I think she could really pull off being the Mark Henry of the diva's division.

Sara Del Rey is another name which has been thrown into the picture. Del Rey has previously aligned herself with the Kings of Wrestling, and has generally been quite successful on the independent circuit. She was trained by Daniel Bryan, and is regarded as one of the best female technical wrestlers in the business. Del Rey utilises brutal submission moves as well as her devastating kicks and signature move, the Royal Butterfly.

Saraya-Jade Bevis (or Britani Knight as she's known on the indy circuit) signed with WWE in September and will soon be reporting to FCW with a view to moving to WWE in the near future. Bevis has a good in-ring ability and could be a contributing factor to the future of the Diva's division.

One thing that has surprised me about Beth Phoenix's Diva's champ reign, is that she hasn't scrapped the Barbie Doll Diva's Title, and reverted to the old Women's title to usher in a new era of women's wrestling.

The sooner they shake the Diva's moniker the better in my opinion, as this is when we will know that it is about wrestling again.

Justin Gabriel, Tyson Kidd, Hunico and the New Cruiserweight Division

This has been mentioned on the IWC just about as many times as a John Cena heel turn, but it is true that a new Cruiserweight could really add something to the WWE.

The first thing it would do, is give a lot of the younger stars on the roster some purpose. It seems all to often that these stars come out, have a good match, and it means nothing.

Take Hunico vs Justin Gabriel a couple fo weeks back on Smackdown for example. This was a great five plus minute match with some good spots (did you see Gabriel's Lionsault?!) and it left me with one query; Why do we sit through 15 minutes of the vault every week when there are talents like these on the roster, who don't get a look in?

Bringing back the Cruiserweight title would open the door for these talents to get some TV time and prepare themselves for the main event scene.

While exciting for the fans, the Cruiserweight division also offers the opportunity for the smaller guys on the roster to engage in feuds which aren't with Superstars twice their size, and therefore more realistic and believable for the WWE fans.

Cut the Dead Weight from the Roster

There are ten-to-fifteen names on the roster who Vince could just cut and it would make no real impact on WWE programming. I'm not just talking about the male Superstars either, I'm also referring to the Divas.

Let me run a list of names past you, and see if the lack of said person would affect your viewing. Heath Slater? No. Ezekiel Jackson? No. Jinder Mahal? No.

Trent Barretta, JTG, Yoshi Tatsu, Ted DiBiase, Tyler Reks, Curt Hawkins, The Bellas, AJ, Tamina... None of these would be a big loss, and it would be a chance to add high quality talents to the roster from FCW, or other promotions.

Tyler Black (or Seth Rollins) has been waiting to come up to the main roster for a while, while Dean Ambrose, Richie Steamboat and Eli Cottonwood could also be ready to make the step up.

Basically WWE, do something with the guys on your current roster or get rid of them. You've basically let some of these guys to rot, or even worse, let them appear on NXT week-in week-out. Give them a purpose in the WWE, or give them their future endeavours and let them have ago at doing what they love elsewhere.

In terms of the guys I mentioned from FCW it's the same thing. These talents are above FCW, so let them take the step up or let them go elsewhere because they can't develop much more in FCW.

Undertaker Go 20-0 and Then Retire

A lot of you may not like the concept of this slide, and I could take a fair bit of criticism for it, but here we go. In my eyes, the Undertaker no longer has a place in the WWE tapestry.

It's not that I think he's not good enough, because I like everyone else, know that the Undertaker is one of, if not the most prolific legend in the WWE today. But he's not in the WWE today is he? he returns once a year for a match, and then disappears for another ten months when it's time to start building up for his next one.

The problem is that 'Taker physically can only compete in one match per year, and looking at his match at WM27, even one match a year is becoming a struggle. As the "don't try this at home" advert says; "what entertains you tears them apart", and 'Taker is truly torn from 27 years in the ring.

What I'm saying, in not so many words, is that if the Undertaker doesn't quit now then he is going to kill himself.

Alright, kill was an exaggeration, but look at WM27 where he had to be carted out at the end of the match. That wasn't kayfabe, that was real.

So why go 20-0? Mark Calaway has said in previous interviews that whether the streak is broken or not doesn't matter to him because he understands that WWE Creative make certain decisions for certain reasons, but I believe that the WWE Universe needs him to go 20-0.

Wrestlemania is the showcase of the immortals, and the Undertaker is the ultimate immortal in the WWE and there is no need to change this.

So who would he face? Most rumours have pointed towards Chris Jericho or another bout with Triple H, however there have also been murmurs that Wade Barrett could face him and end the streak in order to usher in a new era in Wrestlemania.

I don't think it would be in WWE's best interests to end the streak, and I'm sure they'd like to keep up the illusion that the Undertaker might one day return.

Dolph Ziggler Ditch Vickie, Win the Royal Rumble and Win the WWE Title at WM28

In recent months, it's been said time and time again; Dolph Ziggler is the best worker in the WWE right now. There's an age old saying in wrestling, that a good wrestler can have a match with a broomstick and still make it look good, and at this moment in time, I wouldn't put that past Dolph Ziggler for a second.

What Dolph needs to do is cut off the stragglers, and go solo. Maybe to call Vickie a straggler is a bit of an insult to what she has done for Dolph because she has brought him heat, and made him a great heel, but it's now time for her to focus her time and heat in someone else.

The main reason that Dolph needs to go solo is that he has got as far as he can with a manager, and he needs to start to develop his mic skills and persona alone to start his rise to being one of the biggest heels in the company.

If any of you need any convincing that Dolph is ready for the big time, then just look at his last match against CM Punk, where they both put on a PPV quality match.

I'm sure there aren't many in the WWE Universe who wouldn't relish watching these two feud, because the matches will undoubtedly be spectacular.

A Permanent GM Appointed

Johnny Ace is just about the worst thing that has happened that has happened to Raw in the last year, closely followed by the aberration which was the ending of the Anonymous Raw GM storyline. Notice a recurring theme?

Everyone has their own theory on who should be the next Raw GM, so let me run my theory by you.

Everyone assumes that that "itbegins2012" and "second2012" are vignettes for a returning wrestler, however there is nothing explicitly in the videos which say that the returning person will be wrestling. Now one of the key "suspects" who may have posted the videos is Chris Jericho, who has recently stated on Twitter that he will never be wrestling in the WWE again. I'll leave you to add two and two together on that one.

Mick Foley is another popular choice by fans who believe he should be the GM because of his passion for the industry. Rock marks all assume the "Great One" will stay true to his word and never leave the WWE by sticking around to become the new GM.

One final theory I'll leave you with on this matter, is that Jim Ross could become the Raw GM. The thinking behind this is that he is a non-wrestler and therefore (theoretically) won't get involved in feuds and also this would be a great way to repay JR for the work he's done in the WWE to date, and will also show that Vince has respect for him.

WWE Finish the Job They Started with the Tag Team Division

A couple of months back, it seemed that the WWE was ready to put some real effort into the tag team division and restore it the prestige which it has had in the past.

Of course the ultimate era in the tag team division will always be regarded as the Edge and Christian/Dudleys/Hardys feud which not only gave us great tag team wrestling, but also some of the most dangerous hardcore bouts ever witnessed.

In 2011 we witnessed the formation of the biggest face team in years; Air Boom who have been the tag champs since August, and the alliance of these two Superstars evoked thoughts that the Tag Team division was about to take off.

Shortly after, Awesome Truth and Team Vickie joined the party and it really looked like it was all shaping up nicely however, these teams have never mounted a real challenge for the title and have slowly disintegrated. I've shortlisted a few teams that could really get the division going:

Hunico, Averno, Epico and Primo: Three out of these four have already appeared together on Smackdown, with Hunico and Epico showing that they can transfer their FCW chemistry into the WWE. Averno is rumoured to be debuting soon despite the fact that Sin Cara, who he was signed to work with, has been put on the shelf for nine months. These four could be a great heel stable, and could definitely have a hand in making the tag team division great again.

The Kings of Wrestling: With Claudio Castagnoli signed to the WWE and FCW, surely it is only a matter of time before tag team partner Chris Hero joins him? these two have ridiculously good chemistry in the ring, and can bring some magic to the tag team division, hopefully bringing their valet Sara Del Rey with them.

Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas: The WWE should have never let this pairing slip through their fingers, as they embody tag team wrestling. The sooner they're back in the WWE, the better in my eyes.

A Commentary Team That Focusses on Commentating

This time last year I was very disappointed by the lacklustre and laughable feud that was The Miz vs Jerry Lawler. While Lawler is no doubt a WWE legend, there is a reason why he is now announcing rather than wrestling on a regular basis.

Little did I know that it would all get worse, horrendously worse. In fact it started off a chain of events where announcers thought it was acceptable to try and be wrestlers.

Once Lawler's feud with the Miz subsided, he began a much more ridiculous feud with Michale Cole, including a cringeworthy "kiss my foot" match at Extreme Rules.

And of course, Good Ol' JR had to get involved didn't he? Everytime I see him in that Sooners jersey I cringe. You know what the worst part of commentators wrestling is? They're wasting spots on the card that the real talent could be using. For example, instead of Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler at WM27, we could have seen Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus, rather than the latter being used as a dark match.

And just when we think the worst is over because they're not wrestling anymore, we have to put up with the constant bickering and one-upping at the announce table. Michael Cole, I do not care what is trending on Twitter, I don't care what you think of JR, and I don't care how much you want to brown nose every heel on the roster.

Focus on announcing the match.

WWE Keeping Their Promises

The Winner of Tough Enough receives a WWE contract. The Winner of NXT gets a shot at the Tag Team titles with their pro. Jonah Hill's presenting Raw next week. Brodus Clay's debuting next week. Brodus Clay's debuting next week. Brodus Clay's debuting next week.

I understand that plans change for certain reasons, but the WWE just seems to paper over the cracks and never explain why. Why didn't Johnny Curtis get a shot at the Tag Titles? Why hasn't Brodus Clay returned (and disappointed us) yet?

Simple rule to go by, if you don't think it's going to happen then don't advertise it.

On this note, how many weeks did we wait for the Michael Cole Challenge? And how not worth wait for was it? Yep.

Clarification on the Status of NXT and Tough Enough

I watched the first six or seven episodes of the last Tough Enough before getting caught up in my final dissertation, and what I saw I really enjoyed. I loved the original run of TE, and I really like the concept of the show and it is a wonder whether WWE will bring it back for another series as they increase their arsenal of shows for the WWE Network.

However, as I mentioned in the previous slide, a new run would have to be backed up by the debut of Andy Leavine, or "Kevin Hackman" as he now goes by in FCW.

As for NXT, I thought the series before last was okay. I was convinced that Derrick Bateman was going to win and when Johnny Curtis did I wondered what the WWE had planned for him. Apparently nothing.

NXT Redemption has been nothing short of a joke, and has been going for like six months now and the winner gets what? a place on the next series of NXT. Ridiculous.

The concept of NXT is great, but it gets filled up with stupid promos like the multiple "talk the talk" challenges and silly mini feuds between lower card Superstars (See Yoshi Tatsu and Tyson Kidd).

Tough Enough should definitely be included when the Network goes live, however NXT needs to go back to big name pros, or even using the Superstars on Legends contracts.

Abolition of the Automatic Rematch Clause

While some people may not agree too much with this one, I feel that the automatic rematch clause can slow down storylines and stop new feuds developing.

One big example in recent weeks is the Zack Ryder/Dolph Ziggler feud. After Zack's win at TLC, ideally Ziggler would be able to move straight onto the main event scene and challenge for a title. Unfortunately the reality is that he will be stuck in the midcard for at least another month before he receives his rematch at the next pay-per-view.

Admittedly the automatic rematch clause can be helpful when Creative need to prolong a feud, but WWE would be a lot more exciting if the ex-champ had to contest for the number one contender spot. This way, if the Superstar is to move onto something new he loses, if he's staying with the same feud then he wins. It's pretty simple.

The Return of Legends Who Can Still Perform

This year has seen the return of many WWE Legends, however some have been more beneficial to the product than others. Way back at the Royal Rumble, we saw the returns of Kevin Nash and Booker T, who have since slipped into their own feuds on WWE TV.

Then of course there was the returns of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Trish Stratus who returned for both Wrestlemania 27 and to take the reins of Tough Enough.

The return of the Rock after a seven year absence will be regarded as the biggest return, while we also have seen the return of Jim Ross, Mick Foley, Road Dogg and Lita in non-wrestling roles.

Unfortunately a lot of these examples have not been as fantastic as hoped. I'm referring to SCSA's ability to only be a special referee, Trish Stratus' inability to perform the moves which she made famous, and of course the disappointment which was the Kevin Nash storyline.

It could just be me that holds this opinion, but I'm sure that I'm not; Legends need to know when to hang up their boots, because they're marring their great careers with an "I can probably still wrestle" attitude.

I have severe doubts over how good Cena vs Rock will be, especially with the amount of build up around it. To me, Rocky did not show me enough at Survivor Series to convince me that he is back up to scratch in the ring (a seven year absence is always going to be an issue), and with Cena's seemingly limited move set, it could be an absolute dud. Hopefully I'm wrong, and it's the match of the generation but then again, we all know how it's predecessor (Rock vs Hogan) turned out.

One shining light in the Legends department for me this year was Booker T's match with Cody Rhodes. It's a wonder whether he will be moving away from the commentary table for an extended period, if not for good.

As an afterthought, if it is Chris Jericho behind the itbegins2012 promos, then I hope he is as good in the ring as he ever was.